Sinn Féin - On Your Side

Ó Caoláin - Irish government has bowed to Unionist veto

Commenting on the British government's postponement of the Assembly
elections, Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD, said the Irish
Government has "bowed to the unionist veto" and he called for a special Dáil
debate and Question and Answer session next week. He said:

"The British government's postponement of the Assembly elections is an
insult to democracy in Ireland. They are denying the electorate their right
to make a judgement on the conduct of the political parties in the peace
process and they are reinforcing a unionist veto on progress.

"It is disgraceful that the Irish Government has also bowed to the Unionist
veto. In chorus with Tony Blair, the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has claimed that
the clarifications sought and received from republicans are not enough for
him. But the Taoiseach knows well that republicans are totally committed to
the peace process and to the Good Friday Agreement. In reality all this is a
desperate effort to protect David Trimble, despite the fact that he now
leads a party that effectively rejected the Agreement.

"The weakness of the Irish Government in the face of British government
support for unionist intransigence is a major flaw

"Sinn Féin is also calling for a special Dáil Debate and Question and Answer
session with the Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs next week." ENDS